Automobile door



Nov. 26, 1929. E.. A. wETzEL AUTOMOBILE DOOR- Filed April l5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M *I ATTORNEY Nov. L26, 1929. E. A. wETzEL AUTOMOBILE DOOR Filed April l5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1929.

E. A. WETZEL AUTOMOBILE DOOR Filed April 15, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented uNov. Z6, 19.29

UNITED STATES PATENT t or-FICE l EDWARD A. WETZEL, F BOY-AL OAK, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR TO HALE & KILBURN CO.,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE AUTOMOBILE DOOR.

Application ledApl-il 15, 192.5. Serial No. 23,170.

ance. Another object of my invention is to to another.

` bly of the door.

eliminate squeaking and also to'v eliminate drummingvibration-carrying from one panel Further objects of my invention are also directed to reduction in cost and economy in the construction and assem- -Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in mafter.

In. accordancewith my invention, I form the component units which make up `ythe door in such shapes that the door Will give extended clearv vision, that only a few parts are required for the complete door, that it is not `necessary to use any heavy gauge metal, ,and

that the framecan be assembled complete in one jig and the panels applied complete in another operation. Along each side edge of the door` I form a dovetail groove, which lserves three distinct purposes` One purpose is to allow for the insertion of a' rubber tube which will act as a wind break when the door is closed. A second purpose is to ,provide space for attaching 'the door-hinges.

A third purpose is to obtain reenforcement and added rigidity to the pillar along which the dovetail is formed.. The invention also contemplates the provision of a window reg- "ulator mounting whichpermits ready access to the regulatorfor replacement and repair. In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and illustrating one possible embodiment/of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1"is a'front view of an assembled door embodying my part pointed out hereinvention, certain of the parts being shown in dotted lines to bring out certain features of the construction; and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are each sectional views of portions of the construction, and are taken respectively 0n the lines 2 2, 3 3, 4r-4, 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7 of Fig. 1, Figs. 6 and 7 being enlarged and including hinge mounting and a' portion of the door j amb. i

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the ,door in# cludes a hinge pillar 1, which is made up of a single piece of light gauge steel running the full height of the door. This pillar is formed with a flange 2 parallel with the outside of the'door and to which is attached the outside lower panel 3 and the outside upper panel 4, A

which panels may be clinched around the flange 2 wherever necessary, and may also be spot welded thereto.

Pillar' 1 is also pre-- formedwith a dovetailr groove 5, which runs the full length of the pillar. A preformed flange 6 of this pillar forms its inside face, .and above the belt rail this flange is curled several press operations.

The lock pillar 11 is formed in^convention al section, with a ange 12 parallel with the vvit can be rolled inone operationinstead of x outside of the door and about which the shaped stamping, which is welded to the pi1- r lars land 11. This rail has a lange 18 at upper edge, about which the outside panel is clinched, as on the `'sides and bottom of the door, making a very strong and rigid constructio V The bottom frame 10 has an inside face,

f plete assembly, and affording extended clear pair.

which has a flange 19 along its top edge, which, in turn, is flanged, as at 20, creating a channel formation and at the same time providinga bearing surface against panel 3. Preferably a stripof felt 21, or similar material, is inserted between this flange and the door panel 3 to prevent squeaking and to prevent drumming from being transferred, from one part to another. Along the lower edge of frame 101is a forwardly extending flange 22, which isflanged downwardly, as at 23, along its edge, and around this flange 23 the bottomv of the outside panel 3 is clinched. Frame 10 has end anges 24 which abut and are welded to the pillars 1 and 1l.

The regulator mounting may be made in three pieces, including a plate or panel strip 9, a'top panel strip 25, and a bottom panel strip 26. Panel strips 25 and 26 have flanges 27 and 28 along their edges Welded to theA panel strip 9, which, in turn, has flanges 29 and 30 welded to the door pillars 1 and 11. A box section 31 is also mounted on the panel strip 9, and in this the window regulator (not shown) may be carried. Preferably a -cutout or perforation is provi ed, as at 32, to allow the insertion of a socket wrench, or other tool, for assembling the regulator, and providing easy access thereto for replacement and re- Where the upper and lower outside door panels meet, the upper panel is preferably l beaded, as at 33, and overlaps the lower panel, and along this linethe panels are-preferably welded together,

The upper panel 4 is preferably formed of one piece of metal clinched over the pillars on its sides and clinched over the headrail frame along its top edge, as stated. On the sides of the'window opening this panel is formed to shape a window run in conjunction with the flanges 7 and 14 of the pillars 1 and 11. This panel may be pre-formed with a flange 46, which seats behind the bottom wall of the dovetail groove in post l and against a part of the outer wall of panel 11, and to which this flange may be welded, whereby a strong and rigid construction in the least possible amount of space is secured, with a comvis1on. y

A finish strip or moulding 34 is preferably added along the inside top edge of the door, this strip having a curled flange 35, similar to side formations 7 and 14. Preferably a space isleft between this moulding and the head-rail frame to allow for the assembly of the window glass, since this glass is adapted to be let down intoithe windowrun through the top of the door.

Along the hinge pillar a rubber tube or cushion 36 is anchored within the dovetail groove, so as to protrude from the pillar and to be compressed by engagement with the door Maase? jamb 37 when the door is closed, thus vconsti- "tuting a wind-break. As the construction of hinge bar 39 seats behind the outerrface of,

the pillar 1 and extends across the dovetail groove. A filler block 40, preferably metal, is placed in the dovetail groove behind the hinge bar, and the bar is secured in place by means of screws 41. At this point the wind cord 36 may be cut away. The complementary hinge bar 42 may be attached to the door j amb in the usual lWay, as by screws 43.

For strengthening and stiffening purposes, the panel strip 9 ol the regulator mounting may be provided with horizontal beads 44 and with zig-zag beads 45. f

To eliminate squeaking and drumming vibrations carrying from one panel to another, soft material, such as felt, may be interposed at the joints between the sheet metal parts, for instance, wherever a panel is clinched over the flanges of the frame member.

From the above it will be readily apparent that the assembly comprises a minimum num ber of parts and at the same time has the required weight, strength, rigidity, and also has an exceptionally extensive vision. It will also be noted that only light gauge sheet metal is required and that the construction is conducive to economies in manufacturing expenses. i -As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention'could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is: f

1. In a door of the character described, in combination, a pillar strip having an outward flange along one edge and an inward e 2. In a door of the character described, in

combination, a pillar strip having along one A edge an inward flange forming one side wall of a window runway, a panel strip having an inwardly extending portion forming the opposite side wall of the window runway, and having an edge flange seating on and secured to the body of the pillar strip intermediate said runway walls, and the other edges of the pillar strip and panel stripl being secured together.

3. In a door of the character described, in combination, a pillar strip having along one edge an inward flange said flange having a curled over extremity forming one side wall of a window runway, a panel strip having an inwardly extending portion forming theopposite side wall of the window runway, and` having an edge flange seating on and secured to the body of the pillar strip, the otherI edge of the panel strip being flanged over the other edge of the pillar strip.

4. In a door of thecharacter described,'in combination, a pillar strip having along one edge an inward flange said flange having a curled over extremity forming one sidewall of a window runway, a panel strip having an inwardly extending portion forming the opposite side wall of the window runway, and having an edge flange seating on and secured to the body of the pillar strip intermediate said runway walls, the pillar strip having an outwardflange along its other edge, and the other edge of the panelstrip being clinched over this outward flange.

, 5. In a door of the character described, a sheet metal post pre-formed with a dovetail recess along its face and with an outwardly extending flange along one edge, and a panel member attached along one edge to said outwardly extending flange and having another i `portion secured to a wall of said dovetail 6. In a door of thecharacter described, a sheet metal post pre-formed with a dovetail recess along it-s face and with an outwardly extending flange along one edge and with an inwardly extending flange along the other edge, aiportion of said flange being curved over to form alinish moulding, and a panel member attached along one edge toy said out-A protruding outwardly of the face of the post.

'8. In a door'of the character described, a sheet metal post pre-formed with a dovetail recess along its face and a hinge having al` Apritiea. l l

bar disposed against and secured to the rear side of the face of the post, said bar penetrating said dovetail recess.

9: A window rail comprising a principal section of angle form, and a reinforcing member therefor comprising a member of chanangle mouth down and having its side wall most closely adjacent to the other branch of 'said angle'co-operating therewith to form a glass run. J-

10. In a door of the character described, in combination, a sheet metal pillar strip having a portion anged to form part of a win# dow runway, and a panel strip anged to form the complementary portion of the window runway and secured to the pillar strip at the base of Said runway, said pillar strip having an outwardly-extending flange along one edge and said panel strip having an edge clinched over said flange.

11. A window rail for doors of closed vehicle bodies comprising a main body member having a transversely extending web portion arranged substantially in the plane of the jamb face of the door and a panel stamping of hollow'iform open on a side secured mouth down upon'the inner face of said web portion and having an inwardly facing wall forming'a side of a glass run.

12. A metal window rail for doors of closed vehicle bodies comprising a main body mem, ber having a transversely extending web portion arranged substantially in the plane of the jamb face of the door and a lateral flange along the inner edge of saidweb portion, and a anel stamping of hollow form open on a si e secured mouth down upon the inner face `nel section secured to one member of ,said

of said web portion and having a wall adjacent the lateral flange of said main member cooperating therewith to form a glass run.

13. In a door Lfor closed vehicle bodies, in combination, a metal frame member having a portion flanged to form part of a glass run, and a sheet metal panel stamping flanged to form the complementary portion of the glass run and secured to the frame member at the base of the glass run, said frame member having a flange along one edge and the panel stamping having an edge secured to said flange.

14. In a door, the combination with a pillar having oppositely projecting flanges, of a panel secured to one of said flanges having a window opening, and 'a flange projecting said pillar flanges to form the completed l channel-shaped runway for a glass panel.

This specification signed this 7th day of EDWARD A. WETZEL. 

